Before a child can begin to put the sounds together to read about Sam and his green eggs, he must have mastered the concepts of print.  In large part, this means that he understands that letters can combine to make words and that written words convey meaning.  It requires some abstract thinking, as a child comes to realize that these organized symbols represent spoken words, which in turn, represent actual objects and ideas.  Concepts of print also includes directionality (left to right, top to bottom) and function.  So how do you go about instilling children with an understanding of the concepts of print?  Here are a few ideas: [Read more…]

Many developmentally appropriate preschool teachers have been asked, “Why don’t you teach reading?”  The question is innocent.  But teachers often come away frustrated, as most of what they do is focused on building successful readers.  Often, outside observers are looking for reading worksheets and primers and long stretches of direct phonics instruction.  The trick is, in these early years, so much is being done to build successful readers, but it is in the form of emergent or early literacy skills, which are much less visible to the untrained eye.  [Read more…]

Many developmentally appropriate preschool teachers have been asked, “Why don’t you teach reading?”  The question is innocent.  But teachers often come away frustrated, as most of what they do is focused on building successful readers.  Often, outside observers are looking for reading worksheets and primers and long stretches of direct phonics instruction.  The trick is, in these early years, so much is being done to build successful readers, but it is in the form of emergent or early literacy skills, which are much less visible to the untrained eye. [Read more…]